Long cool-down tube with air input joints

Abstract

A conduit system comprising: a conduit formed by a surface extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the conduit is configured to channel a mixture stream from the first end to the second end; and a plurality of fluid delivery features disposed along the conduit between the first end and the second end, wherein each fluid delivery feature is configured to deliver a conditioning fluid into the conduit in an annular formation in a direction angled towards the second end in the same direction as the flow of the mixture stream, thereby providing a sheath of conditioning fluid between the conduit surface and the mixture stream.

1 . A conduit system comprising:
 a conduit formed by a surface extending from a first end to a second end, wherein the conduit is configured to channel a mixture stream from the first end to the second end;   a plurality of fluid delivery features disposed along the conduit between the first end and the second end, wherein each fluid delivery feature is configured to deliver a conditioning fluid into the conduit in an annular formation in a direction angled towards the second end in the same direction as the flow of the mixture stream, thereby providing a sheath of conditioning fluid between the conduit surface and the mixture stream.   
     
     
         2 . The conduit system of  claim 1 , wherein each fluid delivery feature comprises:
 a port structure fluidly coupled to the interior of the conduit and configured to deliver the conditioning fluid into the conduit in an annular formation in a direction angled towards the second end in the same direction as the flow of the mixture stream; and   an annular housing disposed around the conduit and covering the port structure, wherein the annular housing comprises a fluid supply port configured to supply the conditioning fluid to the port structure for delivery into the conduit.   
     
     
         3 . The conduit system of  claim 2 , wherein the annular housing further comprises a fluid supply chamber formed between the fluid supply port and the port structure, the fluid supply chamber disposed circumferentially around conduit and the port structure, the fluid supply chamber being configured to receive the conditioning fluid from the fluid supply port and supply the conditioning fluid circumferentially around and into the port structure. 
     
     
         4 . The conduit system of  claim 2 , wherein each port structure comprises a plurality of fluid subports disposed in an annular formation around the conduit. 
     
     
         5 . The conduit system of  claim 2 , wherein each port structure comprises one continuous fluid port disposed in an annular formation around the conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The conduit system of  claim 5 , wherein the conduit'comprises conduit subsections formed between each port structure and adjacent conduit subsections are coupled together by one of the annular housings. 
     
     
         7 . The conduit system of  claim 6 , wherein each fluid delivery feature further comprises an indentation disposed circumferentially in the conduit, the indentation being configured to receive the annular housing and allow the annular housing to mate with the conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The conduit system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit has a substantially constant diameter of approximately 2 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The conduit system of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the conduit is fluidly coupled to a mixture production system, the mixture production system being configured to produce the mixture stream, the mixture stream comprising particles entrained within fluid. 
     
     
         10 . The conduit system of  claim 9 , wherein the mixture production system is configured to produce the mixture stream by applying a plasma stream to a plurality of particles, thereby vaporizing the particles. 
     
     
         11 . The conduit system of  claim 9 , wherein a sampling device is fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit and is configured to receive the mixture stream from the second end of the conduit and separate condensed particles from the mixture stream. 
     
     
         12 . A method of conditioning a mixture stream, the method comprising:
 providing a conduit formed by a surface extending from a first end to a second end, wherein a plurality of fluid delivery features are disposed along the conduit between the first end and the second end;   flowing the mixture stream through the conduit from the first end to the second end; and   delivering a conditioning fluid into the conduit while the mixture stream flows through the conduit, wherein the conditioning fluid is delivered through a plurality of delivery features disposed along the conduit between the first end and the second end, each fluid delivery feature delivering the conditioning fluid into the conduit in an annular formation in a direction angled towards the second end in the same direction as the flow of the mixture stream, thereby providing a sheath of conditioning fluid between the conduit surface and the mixture stream.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the conditioning fluid is an inert gas. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each fluid delivery feature comprises a port structure fluidly coupled to the interior of the conduit and an annular housing disposed around the conduit and covering the port structure, the annular housing comprising a fluid supply port, the method further comprising the steps of:
 flowing conditioning fluid through the fluid supply port of the annular housing to the port structure; and   flowing the conditioning fluid through the port structure into the conduit, wherein the conditioning fluid is delivered into the conduit in an annular formation in a direction angled towards the second end in the same direction as the flow of the mixture stream.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the annular housing further comprises a fluid supply chamber formed between the fluid supply port and the port structure, the fluid supply chamber disposed circumferentially around conduit and the port structure, the method further comprising the steps of:
 the fluid supply chamber receiving the conditioning fluid from the fluid supply port; and   the fluid supply chamber supplying the conditioning fluid circumferentially around and into the port structure.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each port structure comprises a plurality of fluid subports disposed in an annular formation around the conduit. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein each port structure comprises one continuous fluid port disposed in an annular formation around the conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the conduit comprises conduit subsections formed between each port structure and adjacent conduit subsections are coupled together by one of the annular housings. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein each fluid delivery feature further comprises an indentation disposed circumferentially in the conduit, the indentation being configured to receive the annular housing and allow the annular housing to mate with the conduit. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the conduit has a substantially constant diameter of approximately 2 inches. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first end of the conduit is fluidly coupled to a mixture production system and the method further comprises the step of the mixture production system producing the mixture stream, the mixture stream comprising particles entrained within fluid. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the mixture production system produces the mixture stream by applying a plasma stream to a plurality of particles, thereby vaporizing the particles. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a sampling device is fluidly coupled to the second end of the conduit and the method further comprises the steps of:
 the sampling device receiving the mixture stream from the second end of the conduit; and   the sampling device separating condensed particles from the mixture stream.